New Zealand Foraminifera Manual

Publication Date published: November 2022

Date published: November 2022

Written both for students and foraminiferal specialists, the New Zealand Foraminifera Manual is a guide to identifying and using key foraminiferal genera and species to interpret New Zealand’s biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments.

Nationally Significant Collections and Databases are registered as important for New Zealand, and as such are supported by long-term government funding.

Overview

The manual also summarises sampling procedures, curation, significant previous work, stratigraphic and biostratigraphic principles and the development New Zealand’s Cenozoic Stages. The emphasis is on the critical features for recognising taxa, rather than lengthy formal taxonomic descriptions.

The manual reflects the nature of New Zealand’s foraminiferal record, with about 10% of the contents dealing with Paleozoic and Mesozoic foraminifers, the remaining 90% with the Cenozoic species. Although late Paleozoic and Mesozoic foraminifera are found in New Zealand, these are typically “niche occurrences” of local significance. In the latest Cretaceous, foraminiferal faunas start to become more diverse and prevalent, and relevant to regional studies. This trend grows during the Cenozoic, giving NZ the world-class, mid-latitude fauna to which the majority of the manual is devoted.

The manual is a taonga marking the end of an era in New Zealand foraminiferal micropaleontology. Dr Hornibrook, the author, had a broad knowledge of New Zealand faunas, gained over many years both through his own research developing and refining the NZ Geological Timescale. Ron Brazier, the illustrator, contributed exceptional foraminiferal drawings.  

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